The Republican, Monday, December 6, 2004 OBITUARIES, ARTS, NEW ENGLAND B5 Kennedy Center awards life work By APARNA H. KUMAR Associated Press WASHINGTON Elton John called his Kennedy Center Honor "icing on the cake," but actor Robert Downey Jr. got a frosty reception when he introduced the rock legend as "the other first lady." John, opera diva Joan Sutherland, conductor John Williams and actors Warren Beatty, Ossie Davis and Ruby Dee were honored yesterday with a star-studded tribute at The Kennedy Center. The six recipients of the 27th annual Kennedy Center Honors were saluted for their lifetime contributions to American culture through the performing arts. But Downey stole the show with his rambling tribute to John.
The actor said he like losing presidential candidate John Kerry was suffering "from acute symptoms of another dual-diagnosis disease of mine: the ADD, of course, the altruistic Democrat disorder." That drew nervous laughter from the audience, which included Sen. Kerry as well as President and Mrs. Bush, Vice President Dick Cheney and his wife, Lynne, Secretary of State Colin Powell and the woman nominated to replace him, Condoleezza Rice. John, 57, has sold more than 60 million albums in three decades with hits such as "Rocket Man" and "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road." Downey said three phrases came to mind when he thought of John: "genius, life saver, the other first lady." IN MEMORIAM Emond In Loving Memory Dec. 6, 2001 RETA EM Always with We miss With Love and "Light" The Lunch Bunch Keeler In Loving Memory Of RUTH KEELER It's been 14 yrs.
that Dad has gone and 2 yrs. for you and now we lostour brother and we know he is with you.M ay God always be with you. For you all live in our hearts. Forever loved, and missed. Your children, his sisters and brother Middlebrook In Loving Memory Of WILLIE L.M MIDDLEBROOK Who Passed Away December 6, 2003 Forever etched in our minds, that horrible December day.
The one from which we shall never recover. Go on as we may. Life as known to us has ceased to exist. Our only solace, that in time we will be together. Until then, may God keep you in his eternal embrace.
You are deeply missed by your entire family! Other obituaries on Page B4 Pops concert dazzles, delights. Associated Press Associated Press Kennedy Center Honors celebrating their lifetime gather for a group photo at the State Department in left to right, front, are: music legend Elton John; actress Sutherland. Standing, left to right: actors Warren Beatty John Williams. ly, not as a Kennedy honoree treasure, as American as apple but as president of the United pie and President Bush's mom," States." and noted, "John Williams' Australian-born soprano Su- scores are guaranteed to make therland, 78, was saluted by fel- you use a whole box of Kleelow opera singers Sherrill nex." Milnes and Marilyn Horne, a Husband-and-wife acting previous honoree. Milnes called team Davis, 86, and Dee, 80, Sutherland "an avalanche of were feted for their long careers sound.
She's become the stan- on stage and screen as well as dard by which all others are their political activism. Sean measured." Diddy" Combs, who appeared in Composer and conductor Wil- a recent Broadway revival of "A liams, 72, has won five Academy Raisin in the Sun," said he was Awards, 17 Grammys and two inspired by Dee, who starred in Emmys and is best known for the original production. "Ruby his film scores for "Star Wars," wanted me. to understand how "Jaws," "Raiders of the Lost high the stakes were, that failArk" and "E.T." Director Steven ure was not an option," Combs Spielberg called him "a national said. Helping warring soldiers cope was commander's mission By JENNIFER PETER Associated Press BOSTON The horror of warfare was not the only reason soldiers sought counsel from Army Reserve Lt.
Col. Bryan Kelly and his medical support team during a six-month deployment to Iraq last year. The wonders of modern technology also took their toll, keeping soldiers in better touch with their families back home but leaving them with a sense of helplessness because of their inability to help with the day-today challenges they would otherwise have been unaware of. "It's a double-edged sword," said Kelly, who stepped down yesterday as commander of the Army Reserve's 883rd Medical Company after a four- year stint. "The positive side is that they are able to maintain better contact, but the soldiers can't resolve the problems from where they are." At a change of command ceremony yesterday, Kelly addressed his troops for the last time and turned over the reins to Col.
John Looper, who will be the temporary commander, whose mission is to provide psychological support to Army soldiers. The unit was deployed to Iraq for six months, beginning in January 2003, just before the Iraq invasion. From headquarters in Kuwait, Kelly sent out six prevention teams, which educa- Familiar favorites of the Review season were given fresh treatment in a '5-act' concert. By CLIFTON J. NOBLE Jr.
Music writer Recipients of the 27th annual achievements in the arts Washington Saturday. From Ruby Dee; and soprano Joan and Ossie Davis; and conductor At' a reception at the White House yesterday afternoon, John said winning the honor "is the icing on the cake. It's incredible for someone who's British to be given such an accolade from America, which has given me so much already in my career." Beatty, 67, is an actor, writer, producer and director. He has been nominated for Academy Awards 15 times, and won an Oscar in 1982 as best director for "Reds." Jack Nicholson, Beatty's neighbor and a previous honoree, said: "For years, Warren has dreamed of attending these awards. Unfortunate- It began look a lot like Christmas (and Hanukkah) at Symphony Hall Saturday evening.
The Springfield Symphony Orchestra and Chorus with special guest Cantor Morton Shames delivered one of the most generous and magical Holiday Pops concerts in 1 recent memory to a crowd of 2,254 patrons. The program worked so well because it was expertly planned and paced, and made thorough use of all the performing forces. The concert was built in a series of contrasting yet complementary musical events (kind of like acts in a play) calculated to build and sustain excitement and to push as many sentimental and nostalgic buttons as possible. The chorus, prepared by director Robert Rene Galvan, opened the proceedings, dimly lit and evenly miked, singing "Carol of the Bells," the first track from their recently completed CD, "What Sweeter Music." Lights up! Before the applause had waned, Maestro Kevin Rhodes launched Carmen Dragon's ornate arrangement of "Deck the Halls." Dragon explored the orchestra, bustling through keys and instrumental colors like a kid in a toy-store, then tossed the tune to the chorus, which burst out in glorious A-flat major. Hot on the heels.
of "Halls" came "Joy to the World" with a soaring soprano descant and spine-tingling low brass. Finally, Rhodes paused for a few breathless words to the audience, then dashed into a sweet, stirring performance of "Do You Hear What I Hear" (another cut from the chorus CD) with chorister Susan C. Brown playing finger cymbals. End of act Act two consisted of an electrifying whirl through three choruses from Handel's "Messiah," this time with the chorus unamplified. "And the Glory of the Lord" came as close to dancing as 200 singers and 40-plus players can come.
"Glory to God" crackled with British flipped "R's," and "Hallelujah" galloped ahead as if pursued by Santa's sleigh in the hour before dawn. End of act Act three introduced two guests to the holiday party. First, 15-year-old Westfield High School sophom*ore Peter Scuderi, the principal clarinetist in the Springfield Young People's Symphony, took Rhodes' place on the podium, maintaining a lively two-beat pattern punctuated by timely whip cues and concluding with an elegant final flourish as he conducted the orchestra in Leroy Anderson's "Sleigh Ride." Scuderi's conducting debut came about when Peter Picknelly Jr. donated the opportunity, won by a business associate at an orchestra fund-raiser and given to him, suggesting that "a talented young music student be given the chance to conduct the orchestra instead." Picknelly, A working with the SSO and the Community Music School of Springfield, plans to formalize this student guest conducting arrangement as an annual event. 8 Cantor Morton Shames, accompanied by SSO pianist Nadine Shank, followed with heartfelt, ecstatic and uplifting songs, blessing the lights of Ha- nukkah, praising the glories of "Old Jerusalem," and yearning for peace, asking that "grace and compassion find its way to every soul." After intermission, the orchestra showed what it was made of.
Rhodes had cobbled together a cook's tour of Tchaikovsky's "The Nutcracker" with his own succinct narration, a sort of ballet without dancers. Considering that the orchestra prepared this vast quantity of material in a single afternoon rehearsal, their execution was brilliant. Nimble flutes, molasses-rich English horn, crisp, subtle percussion, burbling bass clarinet, creamy strings, warm French horns, pristine "sugarplum fairy" celeste, all the ingredients of Tchaikovsky's quintessential Christmas party were expertly prepared and deftly blended in a superb fourth act. The final act brought the sleigh-full of singers and players home to the United States, trotting out the "White Christmas" and "Winter Wonderland" staples, and finishing the concert proper with the Harry Simeonearrangement of "T'was the Night Before Christmas" (complete with a visit from St. Nick).
Rhodes, chorus and orchestra tacked on a further holiday sing. along beginning with "Hark, the Herald Angels Sing." 88. Associated Press commander Lt. Col. Bryan Brig.
Gen. Dean Sienko Company Change of Command as incoming commander Sgt. Luis Herrera look on. in East Sandwich. Kelly called his time in Iraq "the most gratifying" of his career.
"Any officer who has the opportunity to be a peacetime commander, really wants to do a wartime command as well," Kelly said. After the mission ended, Kelly returned to his day job as a court psychologist in the Barnstable Probate and Family Court. "The issues seem more mundane now," said Kelly. Malden Mills contract, ITT rejected; strike OK'd U.S. Army Reserve outgoing Kelly, right, passes a flag to during an 883rd Medical ceremony in Boston yesterday Col.
John Looper, left, and Ist te soldiers about the potential stress of warfare and monitor them during conflicts, and four fitness teams, which provided soldiers with 72 hours of respite without removing them too far from their unit. Teams from the 883rd were dispatched with the 101st Airborne Division and the 3rd Infantry. "The more support soldiers get while they're in theater, the less likely they will be to experience problems when they get home," said Kelly, 50, who lives LAWRENCE Seven hundred workers at Malden Mills Industries could go on strike as early as tomorrow after the mill's largest union voted to reject the company's final contract offer. Union members voted 231-198 over two days to authorize a strike and reject the threeyear contract offer that included pay raises and higher health insurance premiums for employees, the Lawrence Eagle Tribune reported. The vote blocked the union from accepting what Malden Mills called its "best.
and final" offer and authorizes the leadership to strike, said Warren Pepicelli, executive vice president and coordinator for Unite Here's New England board. Agency criticized for 'abuser' registry HARTFORD The Department of Children and Families is facing criticism for its confidential registry of child abusers and neglecters, a list used by others for background checks regardless of whether criminal investigations have cleared the accused. Lawyers who work child protection cases say there are hundreds, and maybe thousands, of people whom DCF cited for child abuse and neglect between Associated Press tions and the opportunity to appeal, until 2000, the lawyers say. "People are tagged with the abuse label and potentially blacklisted unfairly and without good reason," Hartford lawyer John Horak told The Hartford Courant. THANK YOU ST.
JUDE Blessed Virgin for prayers answered. Publication promised. R. The union said the company agreed to meet with negotiators once more tomorrow to try to reach an agreement. The textiles company makes Polartec fleece and other fabric used in a wide range of clothing and blankets.
The company employs about 1,000 workers at facilities in Lawrence, Methuen and Hudson, N.H. The union Unite Here Local 311 in Lawrence represents about 700 workers at the mill. Production workers make on average $12.50 an hour. Malden Mills Industries filed for bankruptcy protection in 2001, then re last year after restructuring. This was to be the first contract negotiated between new ownership, led by General Electric's financing arm GE Commercial Finance, and the union.
Associated Press 1996 and 2000 but were never told their names were placed on the registry. Employers and other state agencies have used the list for state-mandated background checks since 1996. Child-care workers, parents, legal guardians and others cited for abuse or neglect are placed on the registry. People on the list are barred from becoming foster or adoptive parents, denied jobs in child care and prevented from operating home day-care businesses. The child protection lawyers, say the registry is like a modernday scarlet letter that can plague those listed for years.
They cite rulings by federal courts in New York and other states that say placing people on such registries without allowing challenges to the listings is unconstitutional and a violation of due process rights. The Connecticut DCF was aware that its policies were unlawful under those rulings as early as 1994, 1 but did not begin telling people of the outcomes of abuse and neglect investiga- Remembrances During This Season of Lights Remember Someone Who Has Touched Your Life By Giving A Lasting Gift of Life. A Remembrance Lamp Card 3-tr Personalized Gift Wrapping Shipping Now AT 2 LOCATIONS 94 SHAKER ROAD EAST LONGMEADOW 526-9792 Mon. 1-5; Tues. 5-8 Wed.
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